What is Translation Management?

Using technology and systems to automate the translation process

Discover the benefits of translation management

Using proven database, workflow and integration standards and technologies, translation management integrates the separate people, content systems and language assets involved in the translation process from across your organization as well as your suppliers.

What is Translation Management?

Translation Management is the automation of the translation process, eliminating repetitive and laborious manual tasks while enabling control, increasing collaboration and delivering greater efficiency.

How do content management and translation management differ?

Content management refers to the business processes and system software used to capture, store, manage, and distribute text, images, and other digitized information. Translation management incorporates project management capabilities in addition to workflow, ties into translation memory and translator tools, and stores information about individual translation resources.

What are the business benefits of translation management technology?

Translation management technology automates the translation process, centralizes linguistic assets and enables collaboration across the entire translation supply chain.

Automates processes: Translation throughput is increased and time-to-market reduced by automating manual processes.
Centralizes linguistic assets: Centralized translation memory (TM), terminology and dictionaries ensure consistency and accuracy across enterprise.
Enables collaboration: Increased collaboration and integration between translators, departments, connected systems and translation vendors improves cooperation and the efficiency of the translation process.

What is a Translation Management System (TMS) and how does it work?

A Translation Management System (TMS) manages the flow of global content through the localization process, including translation, the sharing of linguistic data and the application of reusable content via workflow automation according to business rules and project information held in its knowledge base. Information is tracked through every step in the translation process whether using internal or external resources.

Does a Translation Management System integrate with my existing content repository?

Yes. Translation Management Systems are based on an open, standards-based architecture that enables seamless integration with other enterprise applications enabling content contributors to work with content resources wherever they are stored. The most common content repositories include content management systems, Software Configuration Management (SCM), database and file systems.

How does a Translation Management System leverage translation memories and terminology databases?

A translation management system allows sequencing and categorization of translation memories. This enables maximum reuse of previously translated text. Translation memories are accessed in a number of ways, allowing for flexibility around offline and online translation resources, ensuring that maximum leverage is obtained from translation memories. Translation management solutions integrate seamlessly with SDL MultiTerm for terminology management. Within the online editing and review function, terms are highlighted automatically, ensuring that the translator and reviewer are always aware of previously translated terms.

Does a Translation Management System offer business management features, like reporting?

Translation Management Systems provides estimation and tracking so you know your translation costs before asking for quotes from translation vendors. It also provides business intelligence through out-of-the-box and custom reporting on translation performance metrics for continuous process improvement.

Working with multiple language service providers and translators? No problem - with a translation management solution, you can effectively manage multiple vendors, track the status of project quotes and easily report on project status, saving you time and money.

What type of project management and workflow features does a Translation Management System offer?

A task-based workflow, consisting of human and system tasks, is established for each content type and target language. Individual resources receive notification via e-mail when they have work to do, and users can also view a web-based summary of all their outstanding tasks. Projects can be created based on any number of localization jobs, allowing for consolidated scheduling of each stage of the project and the setting of specific milestones, with reminders sent to users before delivery dates. The project manager can monitor the status of each job and reassign tasks as necessary.